the road home from the south shore

Well here we are on Chapter 4 of our afternoon holiday a week ago Sunday.
Welcome back. If you've been along with me for the trip, you can well understand why I've had to break it up into 4 parts. But at least this is the final one, a souvenir of our drive home from Second Peninsula Park.

The grasses across from the park exit warranted a picture of their own.

It's always with a combination of reluctance and sweet delight that we hit the road home.

(Reminds me of how I used to feel about a Saturday night bath when I was a child.)

Rounding a bend on one of the sheltered bays, this Queen Anne's Lace strikes a pose.

A stop in Mahone Bay to browse one of the few shops still open held some temptations, but nothing compared to this bough of tree blossoms.

up close

This pretty view of the bay across from our parking.

I'm slipping in this picture of Jo-Ann's that I showed you 3 posts ago, though it is earlier in the day, as it gives a reference for where we went next as it was just across the street.

 I'd never actually been in before

and it was certainly worth a browse. The name of the oatcakes cracks me up.

If you've never heard a "Newfie" (Newfoundlander) accent and the hilarious expressions they use...

here is a video that will give you a taste of it- Lord Tunderin'.  I giggle every time I watch this.

We do hear this accent here from time to time here in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia has various accents of it's own.

An old stove with homemade pita chips, baguettes and what appear to be cheese buns at Jo-Ann's

two pretty profiles

decisions, decisions

yes, still at Jo-Ann's

and a small produce section on the way out to the patio where folks are nursing their goodies

next door, an old Victorian

the view from the front

and next to that the charming double peaked Teazer, a gift shop

side entrance to the Teazer

Back on the road we make our way to our junction, Chester Basin,

that will take us on a direct route home.

I have to do this to you every now and then, sharing a poorly exposed and blurry shot, 

this time of a particularly charming house in Chester Basin 

The road home goes through some pretty wild country with twists and turns as we climb the ancient mountain that forms the backbone of this part of Nova Scotia.

This enormous cloud sat at the crest of the mountain and as we got nearer to it,

It began to look like the head of a Highland Terrier to me

Woof!

morphing into an elephant fish

closer to Murphy Lake Road, I asked Wally to stop

On our way out 6 hours earlier, we came upon this little chapel for sale

and my imagination went into overdrive as I imagined the swell little art shop it would make.

I imagined the seasonal lifestyle it would make to run a little business

and began to dream up names for it

then reality set in as I remembered the nature of a transient clientele with me, a woman alone, the money it would cost to bring it up to par, gutting it with new floors, new roof, electricity, plumbing, septic, well water and probably filtering, and the shelving and picture hanging apparatus,  the crazy amount of work it would take to fill it and the bookkeeping, taxes, and... have I left anything out?

I was surprised by how disappointed I got after such a short emotional investment. Another case of the old horse plodding the old track, but those days are over for me and rightfully so as being in business never really appealed to me.

We came home to our pretty gardens and our home sweet home.

Wally placed our new twig trellises against the wall of Forget-Me-Not Cabin

and I remembered to feel grateful for all that I have.

gratitude

for the here and now

follow your breath

to pull yourself in